MARSDEN, FRED

(1843-1888)

Born William A. Sliver in Baltimore, he gave up his law practice and changed his name to become an actor. However, it was as a writer of stage material for celebrities that he made a fortune. He wrote regularly for stageIrishmenincluding Joe Murphy (for whom Marsden wroteKerry Gow, 1880), Roland Reed (Cheek, 1883), andW. J. Scanlan(The Irish Minstrel, 1884). Among his other plays produced in New York wereZip, or Point Lynde Light(1874),Musette(1876), andOtto, a German(1881).

See alsoplaywrights.